


The Mystery of Tad Strange

by DraconaMalp (DraconSinss)



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Breaking and Entering, Demons, Gen, Secrets, Suspicions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-10
Updated: 2015-10-10
Packaged: 2018-04-25 14:57:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4965181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DraconSinss/pseuds/DraconaMalp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So, after The Stanchurian Candidate, I decided to experiment a bit with this new character.<br/>-Minor Spoilers-</p><p>Tad Strange is ironically the most normal person in Gravity Falls. "Why is that?" Dipper once asked.</p><p>Tad replied. "The supernatural and I have a mutual avoidance, I suppose."</p><p>After further exploration, what will they find about Tad Strange? Is he normal? Or is he... a tad strange?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Mystery of Tad Strange

Dipper has always had a fascination with mysteries and the supernatural. Due to this fascination, he was always considered one of the most strangest kids in the neighborhood. It was so common that, in fact, he even considered himeslf to be at least a tad strange... until Gravity Falls, that is.

Ah, yes. Gravity Falls; A sleepy, unknown town in the middle of Oregon. It was revealed to the twins quite early in their stay that the small, backwards town they were visiting was not what it seemed. In the matter of fact, the supernatural thrived in their area. Gnomes digging through trash, werewolf mailmen, vampire and zombie teenagers, yeah. You get the gist.

This place was a category 11 strange on the 1-10 o meter. Very suddenly in that summer, Dipper realised he didn't feel strange anymore. Everything here was not normal. So, it made him feel less strange. Heck, even the people were a tad strange.

Well, everyone except -ironically- Tad Strange.

It wasn't until Soos- the shack handyman- pointed it out at the mayoral meeting thing that he noticed. Tad Strange was the most normal person in Gravity Falls. That was strange.

He brushed it off, summer was ending and he had more important stuff to think about. Like how they were going to win the election and take down Bud Gleeful. (One of the other candidates.)

Days later (don't ask) it continued to baffle his mind. He could've sworn it showed up when one of his Grunkle Ford's inventions were reading his mind. He just couldn't stop thinking about it. 

Why was he so normal? The supernatural was everywhere! If he was so normal, why wasn't he freaking out about it? Why bother staying in Gravity Falls?

He talked about it to anyone who would listen. "Is his tie a mind control device?"

"Don't be silly, Dipper. He's a great guy." Mabel replied, unuseful in rambling brainstorms as per usual.

"Can he not see the supernatural?"

"Maybe he has cataracts. Young people get that too." Grunkle Stan(ley) even more useless, a set back even. As per usual.

"Is he a demon? He has to be. He's just acting normal so he can kill us all off one by one and destroy everyone's memories of it! He's tampering with our minds, Grunkle Ford. A bread demon is out to get us all."

"Dipper." Dipper quite literally looked up to his Grunkle Ford. "Get some rest. A person your age shouldn't be up for days theorizing about some... wait did you say demon?"

"Yes! That has to be it. Tad Strange-"

"Tad Strange?" Ford put a smile on. "Son, Tad Strange isn't a demon."

"What? How do you know? Then, what is he?" Dipper continued pacing.

A firm hand was placed on his shoulder, stopping his monotonous walk. He was looked in the eyes. "Sometimes all you need to do is ask."

Ask? How's he supposed to do that? Just walk up to the guy and ask? Yeah, okay. He can do that. Probably.

Dipper put a hand on his Grunkle's. "Thanks great uncle Ford." With that he ran upstairs and outside.

"Woah, where you going?" Wendy asked as he zoomed by. There was no time to answer. Dipper needed to know as soon as humainly (or inhumainly, whichever's faster) as possible.

He scoured the town up and down for Tad. It wasn't until he entered the Gravity Grocer that he found Tad walking out with a loaf of bread.

"Tad!" Dipper stopped right in front of him and held his notebook to his chest. "Excuse me, but I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Of course I can answer your questions. Not sure why you'd want to ask an average joe like me questions. Dipper, right?" Tad asked, normally. Normally. Ugh. "As long as we walk talk."

Dipper nodded and started following Tad. "Okay. First off, I can't help but notice that whenever something supernatural happens, you're never there. Also, what's up with being not Strange."

Tad sighed. "So, it's one of these talks, eh?" He stopped and grabbed a notebook from his back pocket. He added another tally mark to a page, then put it away. "Well, the supernatural and I have a mutual avoidance, I suppose. I guess it's the same for strangeness."

"What do you think's causing these evasions?" Dipper asked, scribbling vigorously against his notepad.

"Trust me when I say nothing's causing it. It's just the way things are." He got down and pat Dipper's shoulder in a normal almost fatherly way.

"I swear Tad. There's something weird about you, and I'm going to find it." Dipper said, his face scrunching into an upset frown.

Tad laughed lightheartedly. "I absolutely doubt that." He began to whistle normally as he took a sharp turn into his normal yard and normally unlocked his door and stepped inside.

"Was that a threat?" Dipper asked before Tad's door slammed. 

Dipper squinted at the house and clicked his pen. 'Is strange' he wrote, 'break in, find evidence.' He looked back up to the house to see Tad looking through his curtains. As would a normal person would probably do when they seen someone uninvited on their property.

He sighed before beginning to walk home. 'Force supernatural to break avoidance rule.' He added to his notes.

Something was up with Tad Strange. Say it all he might, but being normal is not his game. Or at least it couldn't have always been, right?

Dipper put his notepad away and cracked his knuckles. He was going to make a theory board.

-

"Mabel. He's not normal." Dipper couldn't stress that more. He pointed to his sister, then gestured wildly to a corkboard filled with pictures of Tad and his shenanigans. "He's hiding something, Mabel. I'm going to expose him or my name isn't Dipper Pines!"

"Psht." Mabel crossed her arms, smiling. When'd he even have time to take pictures? "1. It isn't. And 2. Maybe he's weird, so what, Dipper? Is this your 'if everyone's weirder than me, I'm normal' thing?"

Dipper glared at her with bagged orbs.

Mabel rolled her eyes and dragged her brother to sit on her bed together. "Bro bro. Just talk to him. He has a reputation to keep up. I mean, if he's not the normal guy, who is he?" She shrugged.

Dipper sighed and ran his hand down his face. "I don't care about 'reputation' or whatever, Mabel. I don't need a normal guy. I need answers." Dipper gripped her shoulders and pulled her in a hug. He gently chewed on her sweater.

She made a face, then pat him on the back. Yeesh. He's never been this sleep deprived over anything. "Tired?"

He nodded and she could hear him start sniffling.

She lifted him off and gave him a tissue. He wiped his eyes and nose before taking a breath and being angry again. "Look at me, Mabel! This can't be for nothing! He's hiding something. I'm going to expose him for the fraud he is."

He shoved his shirt in his mouth and chewed it aggressively.

"Dipper. It's late. Stop using your brain and sleep." She pouted to her brother.

The male twin sighed aggrevatedly. "I don't need sleep."

Mabel calmly got up and grabbed his blanket. "Okay, Mr. Imavampire."

"...Mabel? What are you doing?"

She ran up to him and tackled him, hugging him with the blanket. "Mabel! Stop! This is serious. Tad could be bad or mad or sad or rad..." 

He stopped struggling and yawned, body relaxing as his sister hugged him. "Or he could be a dad... or fad or... or..." He let a big yawn cover the rest of his sentence before he started snoring.

His sister sighed, getting off him and tucking him in her bed as she brought her covers to his. Sometimes, he's such a poophead and doesn't even know it.

-

"Heya, Dipper."

Dipper tensed. All around him was nothing but white... well, except that dot nearly as big as him. "Tad? Look man, I know this is a dream. Wether you're somehow actually here or you're a figment of my imagination I don't care. Go away."

There was a light hearted chuckling. "Poor Dipper. Thinks he can get away with my secrets."

Dipper growled and kicked the dot. It rolled away from view and Dipper stepped back. Where'd it go? 

He yelped when something nudged him in the back. Dipper turned around defensively. A rectangle?

The rectangle was pure black, just like the dot. If it were vertical it would've been as tall, if not taller than the brunet. Okay, definitely taller.

It got up and rounded it's edges. A circle lined itself around it as bricks fell into a familiar shape. Bill. 

"Go away, man."

Bill laughed as he flashed yellow, taking his complete form. "Yeesh, kid. At least let me arrive first. So. I heard ya got a new buddy." His eye flashed blue. "T̢̡͟͡a̢͟d̸ ̴͢͡S̷̵̢͜t̸̛͜͠r̷͘̕͡a͝ņ͏g̨̡̕e̶̢̛͘ ͏? Interesting. Y'know, I wouldn't go sticking my nose into any of his business. Curiosity killed the cat you know."

Dipper tipped his hat up and crossed his arms. "It was the satisfaction that brought him back."

Bill sounded like he was trying to stifle a laugh. His voice morphed into something like Tad's, but echoey. "Okay, Pine Tree. I mean, don't die or anything."

Dipper woke up with a snort and blinked. He rubbed hus palms into his eyes before yawning. What was that? What did Bill want? Was that all him? "Dang it. What is Tad hiding?!" He yelled.

He slapped both hands over his mouth. After looking to his sister's bed, he sighed. She was already up and she was probably downstairs.

He sighed as he got up, rubbing his eyes with his hands again. He put on his shorts, vest, and hat before putting his hands on his hips and looking at his corkboard.

What is he hiding... what is he hiding. What is he HIDING?!? He groaned when there was a knock on the bedroom door. "Go away I'm busy making a battle plan."

Plan.. plan.. okay. When Tad's out I'll break in and snoop a bit. Oh first I'll n-

More knocking. He groaned. "Go away, Mabel. I'm busy.

The door nudged open. "Heya Dipper. Your sister wished that I speak with you."

Dipper jolted and flipped the corkboard revealing a picture of Mabel's face on a unicorn body. He smiled nervously. "Hey there, friend. She's probably worried about my normalcy. Well everything's fine."

His smile turned a bit more confident in it's falsehood.

"As long as everything's A-Ok." He winked and showed Dipper a finger gun, shooting it playfully. He stayed in the doorway.

Well, this is awkward.

Dipper frowned. He isn't leaving, is he? Why wasn't he leaving?! He gestured frankly to his bed. "Please, take a seat."

"My pleasure, chum." Tad smiled before sitting down. He pointed his index fingers and brought his hands together. He held his head with his thumbs as his fingers stood up, touching his nose. "Dipper, I appreciate your concerns and understand in a town like Gravity Falls sometimes normal is odd on a supernatural level. For you at least."

There was a pause that Dipper used to put his hands on his hips.

"But I'd prefer if my personal space was not invaded. Such as my yard and house. I know you're just a curious boy out to solve any mystery you can, but I'd prefer if my life wasn't one. Understand?"

Dipper put one hand on his chin. "I understand, Tad. You're just a normal guy in a normal house with normal problems you don't want getting out publicly. I can respect that."

Tad's face turned up into a smile. "Alright, see you around, Pines." He strolled out, leaving Dipper.

Dipper immediately flipped the board over and half lidded his eyes, hands on his hips. He smirked. "Doesn't mean I will though."

-

Mabel's ear was against the door. She could hear mumbling and clicks of his pen. She sighed before pulling open the door.

"Tad already left. Are you talking to yourself again? Ya dork." Mabel smiled, skipping happily into the room. "So. How'd it go?"

"Perfect, Mabel. Now I know for sure he's hiding something." Dipper circled a picture on his board with a big red marker. "And you're going to help me proove it."

"What? But he said it went well! Dipper, what did he possibly say or do to make you think that?"

Dipper snapped towards her and pointed. "He doesn't want me in his yard. That has to be worth something!"

"Dipper, finding Fordsy was one thing, this thing? It's eating you alive brobro." She frowned to the board. "What's your beef with him anyways? He's a great guy and-"

There was a pause.

Two sets of eyes landed on a piece of paper on the floor, one after another.

The former set of eyes became panicked when Dipper noticed his twin notice something on the board. Uh oh.

"Dipper." Mabel walked right up to the board and snatched a notebook page off it. The words 'break in' written clearly. "Seriously? Ya gotta let this one go. No wonder he doesn't want you on his property. This is... this is just creepy."

Dipper sighed. "You're right... It's been what? 15 minutes since I got up and I'm already freaking out?"

Mabel smiled. "Let's go watch ducktective."

Her brother smiled, gently flipping the corkboard, revealing the Mabelcorn again.

They both shared a laugh.

"Yeah. Let's do that. I can finish this another time."

She grabbed his hand and they both giggled as she hauled him downstairs.

The gentle wind blew and the color draining from the world went unnoticed. The attic window creaked open and from upstairs, Bill could hear them laugh and enjoy their show. Almost feel their happiness.

Disgusting. 

He looked at the forgotten page blankly. So, they were going to break in? It'd be hilarious to see them try. Cute, even.

-

"What do you mean-" Dipper mimicked his sister's voice, pretty well, actually. It was almost scary... " 'You actually thought I was going to break into a house with you'?"

It had been only that morning he watched ducktective and thought about giving up. Until he realized that that was what Tad wanted.

"Dipper. You have to let this go."

"No, Mabel. I swear, he has control of your mind or something. Does that not- does it not bother you?" He asked as he dug through his Grunkle Stan's burglary kit. 

It was before Mabel came in he had already put on the black suit, by now he was just double checking his supplies.

He slung a black bag over his shoulder. 

"I know this is important to you, but ask yourself, if he really is a demon thingy, do you really want to be caught sneaking onto his property?" Mabel reasoned.

Dipper sighed, at the door. He loosened his grip. "Mabel, I-" 

I don't want to go alone.

He took a sharp breath in before tightening his grip and flinging the door open. "I'm going to do this. If he's a demon then we'll need to find some sort of protection against him, right? Plus, that's not the main reason I'm going to break in. He can be anything, Mabel. He's keeping secrets and I'm going to find out what."

He snuck out in the midst of the night. Mabel watched him afar from a window. "Why can't he just take a break?"

"Because he's stubborn." Mabel's eyes widened as she jumped slightly in light surprise. She flipped around.

"Stan?"

Stanley gave her a small nod. "Kinda like me and Ford, I suppose." He took a sip of his Pitt Cola.

Mabel looked at him with concerned eyes before watching her brother stumble on the dirt road, longingly.

Stan squinted when Dipper got in the car. "Wait... is that my car?!"

Mabel laughed nervously, touching the tips of her fingers together nervously.

-

Dipper picked the lock to the car and hotwired it like his Grunkle Stan taught him.

In minutes, he was off. He parked on the curb on the road, a street away from his target. He snuck towards the house, attentive of streetlights and people.

He stumbled over the fence and made a soft oof. He wiped himself of pieces of grass before approaching the house. The only light that was on was the one on the 2nd floor. 

Bedroom, he guessed.

He suck to his kitchen window. It was locked.

"He must have anticipated my investigation." Dipper mumbled to himself. 

He grabbed a blow torch from his bag and started to soften the glass. He continued and used a metal stick to open it up more.

After an extremely boring half hour, the hole was big enough to get through.

He laid padding on the hot glass so he wouldn't burn himself. Making sure it was secure, he left it for an easy escape. 

It was a standard kitchen. Nice, actually. The cupboards were white and the counters were a sleek black. There was an island in the middle that seemed to connect to the other open room. The dining room, he guessed.

He took a peek in the cupboards to see if there was anything out of the ordinary. Human children, souls, dead animals... the works.

Normal enough, all there was was bread. I mean... it was still kinda weird he had cupboards filled to the brim with bread though. He closed them.

Under the sink? Bread. Huh.

In the pantry? Bread... and other wheat related products.

Under the island? Bread.

Dipper was beginning to notice a pattern here. The weirdest part was that he'd never seen the brand in Gravity Falls before...

He moved onto the next room... it was worse. The living room was full... to say the least. 

"This can't be it." Dipper said to himself. It was just- THIS could not be it.

The boy sighed, the feeling of emptiness started to tug at him.

This can't be it... can it?

but it was. 

Dipper retreated, unsatified with his work.

Tad sighed, watching the kid mope over his fence. He shook his head. "Here I thought he'd find out."

He slid off his tie and it sizzled into the ground.

He smirked with each step, his body burned into anew, his hair turned a deep purple as he slid on his blazer.

From atop a pile of bread, a bowler hat floated to his hand. He slid it on.

His friends should be here soon.

The brim of the hat shaded his face. "It'll be one heck of a party." He smiled up to his floating triangular acquaintance.

His aquaintance's eye crinkled up in a small smile.

Just out of earshot of Dipper, the two barked out a laugh.

The boy cleaned out his ears, looking back to the normal bread infested house. He shrugged. "Probably nothing."


End file.
